Back in the 1970s, long before the internet made classic car hunting a breeze, enthusiasts relied on more traditional methods. For many, the Sunday New York Times classifieds were a goldmine, particularly the old car section. It was in this very section that the dream of owning a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing began to materialize for a young Dr. Frederick Simeone.
In an era where $50,000 Duesenbergs were common and a medical student’s budget was tight, the classifieds offered a glimpse into a world of automotive history that often felt just out of reach. Yet, the desire for a car with “history, sport, great design,” instilled by his car enthusiast father, remained strong. His father, a general practitioner, instilled in him an appreciation for classic automotive lines, even during junkyard visits in the 1950s when 1930s cars were just two decades old.
It was in this spirit of hopeful searching through the New York Times that an ad for a 1955 Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing caught Dr. Simeone’s eye. This wasn’t just any Gullwing; it boasted less than 30,000 miles and stylish Rudge wheels. The seller, a pool builder, had acquired the car in exchange for his services. However, the Gullwing proved less than practical for his wife, deemed “too difficult to manage, hot, and not particularly useful for uxorial duties.”
The timing was fortunate, as Gullwing values were then at a low point. A phone call sealed the deal, and a sum of $3,500 – a significant amount then, but a steal for a Gullwing now – was agreed upon. Enlisting his girlfriend Jackie for a ride, Dr. Simeone knew he was driving his dream car home. The 1955 Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing was indeed in excellent condition, a testament to its careful past and robust engineering. It became his daily driver, navigating city streets, a reliable, if somewhat conspicuous, classic in everyday life. The only minor mishap was the theft of its Becker radio, a small price to pay for years of enjoyment.
His father’s reaction to the new acquisition was understated. A ride in the Gullwing elicited no strong opinions, but the fact that his son had independently financed the purchase was undoubtedly a point of paternal pride.
The story takes an unexpected turn a few months later. While passing Jerry’s Used Cars, a dealership in a less affluent part of town, another Gullwing appeared – a black one, incongruously parked amongst more ordinary American cars. Mentioning this to his father, the response was a gentle, “Well, we don’t need two of them.”
Life continued with Dr. Simeone enjoying his silver Gullwing. Then, a couple of months later, the black Mercedes was gone from Jerry’s lot. Curiosity piqued, a question to Jerry revealed the surprising truth: “Your dad bought it!”
Returning home, the mystery was quickly solved. His father, having secretly acquired the black Gullwing for $4,750, had already begun its restoration in the garage. Remarkably, the black Gullwing retained its original paint, giving it an almost new appearance. The higher price his father paid, compared to Dr. Simeone’s initial $3,500 investment, was a source of good-natured rivalry.
While medical studies occupied Dr. Simeone, his father immersed himself in the black Gullwing, restoring it and entering it in car shows. His efforts culminated in a first-place win at the 1971 New Hope Auto Show. A photograph captures the proud moment, father and son united by their shared passion for these iconic Mercedes-Benz automobiles.
Today, both of these Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwings, purchased in the 1970s, are proudly displayed at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, a testament to a father-son bond forged through a shared love of classic cars and a reminder of a time when automotive treasures could still be found in newspaper ads and used car lots. These Gullwings are not just cars; they are tangible pieces of automotive history, embodying the elegance and engineering prowess of Mercedes-Benz in the 1970s and beyond.
(Note: Adjusting for inflation, $3,500 in 1970 is approximately $21,000 today, and $4,750 is about $28,000.)
